Of course, we do have the ability to build starships, Chelan answered. The detail simply has been overlooked.
We do Where?
Beta drives historically optimized for efficiency not FTL speed. They are still not that efficient. Why bother when you can build alpha cores. And beta cores will not take you through warp points. However, beta drive will give you a moderate FTL capacity, likely improvable with design studies, and with moderate FTL, say 10c, you can reach a few of the nearer stars in a tolerable period of time, though you would want large crew quarters not barracks.
The Spy Who Was Caught Cold
The communicator on Tara Broadhurt’s desk gave the quadruple chime indicating an incoming call of the highest urgency. Bulger Space Yard’s Senior Legal Officer glowered at the telephone, noticed that it was stubbornly refusing to slag down, and picked up the receiver.
“Bulger Space Yard, Broadbent here,” she said, trying to be cheery to whoever was calling.
“Miss Broadbent, this is Platoon Leader William Sykes. We have a situation.” Sykes paused. “We detained someone who hopped the fence. He claims he is a Stellar Republic diplomat, is immune to arrest, but has no identification papers. Also, he was carrying all sorts of electronic spy gear.”
“I see, William,” Tara answered. “I’ll be out there in a bit.”
“Thank you,” William said. “We’re next to the Guard House. Please wait for your security detail. The Seldon Legion never sleeps, but we’re perpetually undermanned.”
A short time later, Tara marched across the parking lot, her escort spaced out to each side. It was a brisk day, the bright sun low on the horizon doing little to warm the air, but her long wool coat kept her warm. A gaggle of Legionaires, some facing out to watch the perimeter fence, stood in a circle surrounding a young man.
“What’s all this?” she asked as she approached.
“Ma’am, he jumped the fence,” Sykes explained. “When we tried to detain him, he tried to run, so we used a stunner on him, searched him carefully, returned personal property – wallet, keys, change purse, little black book of girlfriends, pocket chronometer, and segregated all his spy equipment.”
“I am Pierre Descamps. I am being illegally detained,” the young man in the center announced. “As a member of the Stellar Republic’s diplomatic staff, I’m not subject to arrest. ”
“What does his passport say?” Tara asked.
“He’s carrying no ID, ma’am,” Sykes answered. “He says he forgot to bring it. He is not carrying a personal communicator. He arrived by walking down from Observation Point Park. There’s no vehicle there, nor any sign of how he got there. And he was carrying all sorts of electronic spy equipment.”
